Arwen's Struggle
by katwoman
Summary: The story of Arwen after Aragorn's death. Please read and review.
1. Default Chapter

Disclaimer- I do not own Lord of the Rings and it belongs to J.R.R. Tolkien  
  
Authors note- This story has Arwen not giving away her immortality and all that. I always get really ticked in the movie because in the first book she just sits there and looks beautiful and they seriously inflated her character. And they took out Glorfindel.  
  
Aragorn was lying in bed, surrounded by his wife, Arwen, and three children. His voice was a whisper as he told Arwen how much he loved her. Then his eyes shut for the last time.  
  
Arwen walked gracefully down the hall. There was no hint to her suffering until you looked at her eyes. They were filled with tears and looked even darker than their normal gray. She walked to a pair of doors, opened them and walked out onto a balcony. The population of the city looked up at her.  
  
"His time has come and gone. The King has passed." Arwen said. The masses of people looked up at her with confusion and sorrow in their eyes. "I am sorry." She must go before she loses her composure in front of the populace.  
  
"Mother?' Arwen turned away and came face to face with her eldest daughter Theridel, the heir to the throne of Gondor. "I'm scared. I don't know how to run the country. Help me!"  
  
Arwen looked at her daughter. 'She's so young.' she thought, 'How can my daughter rule an entire country.'  
  
"You must talk to your subjects and reassure them. It shall be your first act as queen." Arwen said as she gave her daughter a hug.  
  
"Will you help me mother?" Theridel said. "I cannot do it alone."  
  
"Yes you can. You need to learn how to stand on your own two feet. I won't always be there to hold your hand." Arwen said firmly.  
  
"Please?"  
  
"Absolutely not. I will be in my office writing if you need me." Arwen said then turned and headed to her room.  
  
She opened the door and sat at her desk. Only then did the realization sink in. She was alone. The love of her life was gone, never to return. She would never see him again. She put her head down on and cried. She had never truly tasted the bitter taste of death before and she didn't want to taste it again.  
  
After her cry, she picked up a piece of paper and wrote a letter to Aragorn's friend to inform them of his death. Carefully choosing the words to tell them of the depressing news.  
  
'Aragorn, it is hard without you. I miss you so much it hurts." She said to the air, hoping he would somehow answer and hear her. 


	2. Moving on

"Princess Arwen? Are you awake?"  
  
Arwen awoke with a start. "I must have fallen asleep." She said as she rose from her desk. "Is there something important going on?" she asked her lady- in-waiting and closest friend Riladen.  
  
"There is a visitor here to see you. He says goes by the name of Prince Legolas." Riladen said.  
  
Arwen was pleased that her old friend Legolas had come to see her. They had known each other for a long time and he could console her about the death of Aragorn.  
  
"Please tell him I will be right down." Riladen turned and left the room. Arwen washed her face in the basin on her nightstand and brushed her long dark hair. She peered in the mirror before she left and was amazed at the reflection. The elf in the mirror looked so much older than she had two days ago. Her eyes were deeper and surrounded by wrinkles. Her mouth was stiff, as though she had never smiled before. Her posture had lost it's tall, regality and she had become slightly bend over.  
  
She stood up straight and attempted at a small smile. Instantly, her appearance changed from tired, old mother, to elegant, powerful ruler.  
  
She walked into the receiving room, where the family met with their close friends and saw Legolas. He looked up at her and immediately felt her pain. 'This elf has been through so much these past few days,' he thought. 'No one should feel the pain she has.'  
  
Arwen approached him and he drew her into a hug. His arms felt made Arwen fell warm and safe. She drew away and said "Thank you so much for coming. I really needed someone to talk to. I didn't want to worry the kids and nobody else really understands."  
  
"I had to come." Legolas said. "Aragorn was my friend and a great man. The whole of Middle Earth mourns his passing this day."  
  
"Please sit down." Arwen motioned to two chairs grouped together in the side of the room. The sat down and began to talk about Aragorn. His habits, little stories and funny anecdotes were said and they talked about him as though he was right there with them.  
  
They were laughing about a funny story that Legolas told when Riladen called them for dinner.  
  
"Is it dinnertime already? My how long have we been talking?" Arwen said.  
  
"About three hours." Riladen said with a smile. "Dinner will be short, because of the funeral." At this sentence her face became grim and her smile turned into a tight-lipped frown  
  
It was as if a light had been turned off in the room. The atmosphere had been pleasant, almost happy, now it was sad, and sorrowful. Arwen and Legolas felt guilty that they had forgotten about Aragorn's death. Silently they proceeded to the dining room. Arwen sat at Aragorn's spot, the head of the table, because she was the leader of the family now. Theridel sat at her right. She was being crowned queen after her father's funeral. Legolas sat at Arwen's right, being a guest.  
  
Arwen looked around at her children, Theridel, Erediel, and Desuin, and noticed Aragorn's features in all of them. Aragorn had loved all of them so much. They were the pride of his life.  
  
"Please sit down." Arwen motioned as she sat in her chair. The dinner was simple; everyone was too grieved to cook anything fancy. Nobody talked. They were too wrapped up with their own thoughts.  
  
The court's messenger entered the room. "Ahem." He said. "The funeral of King Aragorn shall take place in one hours time."  
  
Everyone rose, and left the room to prepare for the funeral.  
  
Arwen went to her room and drew her bath quickly. After she bathed she dressed in her black dress. The feel of the velvet brought back memories.  
  
"Arwen, it has been wonderful spending these weeks with you. I will miss you so much when I must tomorrow."  
  
"You're leaving? So soon? You only just got here."  
  
"I have been here very long already. It seems like only hours for me too."  
  
"When will you be back."  
  
"Soon. But there is something that I wanted to tell you before I left."  
  
"What is that?"  
  
"I love you."  
  
Arwen found tears running down her face. 'I love him so much.' She thought, 'It will be so hard without him.' She sat on her bed and cried. 'I have to pull myself together. What will the people think?' She finished getting ready and left the room.  
  
She walked into the ballroom, the only room in the palace that could hold the expected crowd. She was the first of the royal family to arrive there. She walked over to the coffin where Aragorn was laid out.  
  
She looked inside to see him. His hair was brushed, with a crown laid on top of his hair. He was dressed in his best clothes. He almost looked like he was sleeping, except his face was in a frown. He never frowned even when he was sleeping. The look was disturbing so she backed away from the casket and nearly stumbled into Legolas' arms. They were warm and safe, a comfort she hadn't felt since Aragorn had left.  
  
"I am sorry, Legolas. I didn't mean to fall into you." She said reluctantly leaving his arms.  
  
"It is quite alright." He said with a small smile. "It is hard looking at him like this. He was such a lively, happy man and having him laid out in a coffin was a sight I was dreading."  
  
Arwen gave a small nod. She completely understood his words. They had said exactly what she felt in simple terms. He guided her away from the horrible coffin and towards two lone chairs at the side of the room. She sat down in one and he in the other. The silence between them spoke volumes.  
  
A/N: Please review and constructive criticism is welcome 


End file.
